


It's A Responsibility Thing

by Fire_Cooking



Series: Boxmore bot 'Human' AU [16]
Category: OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes
Genre: Affection, Alternate Universe - Human, Blind Character, Dog bite, Dogs, Domestic Fluff, Family, Family Dynamics, Family Fluff, Fire, Fluff, M/M, Married Couple, Mild Language, Monopoly (Board Game), Public Display of Affection, Robotics, Robots, Swearing, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:01:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26353081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fire_Cooking/pseuds/Fire_Cooking
Summary: Kids are home for several long months of summer, so what better time to get a new puppy!But of course she's not exactly new, or a puppy.
Relationships: Ernesto/Neil (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes)
Series: Boxmore bot 'Human' AU [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1486763
Kudos: 3





	It's A Responsibility Thing

**Author's Note:**

> Look I know I write a lot of fluffy domestic human Neilnesto, and I have no exscuse
> 
> btw the dog bite is painless and to Neil's robotic arm, so if you where worried don't be!

Neil unlocked the door, nearly getting pushed over by the sprint of all three little heathens.

“Hey! Hey! No tossing bags! Go put your stuff away!” Neil shouted. He laughed to himself as his kids gathered their bags back up and made there ways upstairs. Neil hung up his keys and placed his wallet in the bowl.

He was just getting off his suit coat and hat when he saw Teagan and Gaston trundle down the stairs.

“I want the car!” Gaston yelled.

“No I want the car!” Teagan jumped up and darted for the door at top flight speed, instead hitting the door frame and yelping as they stopped dead.

“HA!” Gaston sprinted into the living room.

“No fair!” Teagan squalled.

Neil shook his head as he saw Teagan scramble to there feet and dart into the living room.

“You two better have put away your bags properly!” Neil called.

“Yes dad!” He heard Gaston yell as the sound of a board game rattled.

Neil walked into the living room, seeing Gaston setting up the board while Teagan started thumbing through cash and sorting it out by the notch Ernesto had meticulously added to each bill.

_ We can buy it with the braille on it. _ Neil had remembered repeating for the six hours it took for Ernesto to devise and execute the modification to the game board. 

_ I’m not spending 100 dollars on a Monopoly that's going to look bad. _ Had been the excuse, Neil figured it was probably more to do with Ernesto wanting to make sure everything was perfect for their darlings.

Neil watched for a second, before he heard the sound of a small jet. He sighed and lifted his arm, getting pelted by a Combo.

Combo started squealing out some nonsense, Neil wrapped his arm around Combo as he rambled.

“Come on, we have a game to play!” Teagan said, tossing a stack of bills at an empty chair.

“Will you be playing master?” Combo cried.

“I have to make dinner.” Neil was let go as Combo climbed into a chair. “Which this better be cleaned up by.”

“Of course.” Gaston said with absolutely un sincerity, sorting his cash.

Neil smiled at the three, knowing it’d be a struggle to convince them to pack up before they were done. It was at least summer so they could eat outside comfortably.

Neil walked into the kitchen, hearing the first few dice rolls starting. He sighed as he started pulling out what he’d need for dinner.

Neil hummed as he started chopping onions, potatoes, and asparagus, he could hear the kids starting to squabble and fight over properties, Neil sometimes thought that he could never need a second set of hands with the kids when he was busy, he could always hear them, until they went quiet.

But they’d never been particularly quiet when it came to board games, so he didn’t need to worry or leave the kitchen door open.

Neil did perk up at a sudden strange sound. Why was the front door opening? He glanced at the clock.

Neil leaned over and swung the door with his foot, and saw a small sliver of the dining room. He saw the kids pull there attention from the board game and start clamouring up, but suddenly go quiet and giggly. Neil rolled his eyes and took his foot off the door. He kept an eye on the door as he heard the floorboards creaking under someone about 6’7” and 300 pounds and handsome as h-

“Honey I’m home!” Ernesto kicked open the kitchen door, catching it with his free hand before walking in with something under his arm wrapped in a sheet.

“I know.” Neil said he chopped. “You’re home early.”

“I wanted to surprise you.” Ernesto walked over and leaned down, kissing Neil’s temple gently.

“You blew up Boxmore again and I get to have a house husband for a month?” Neil hummed as he smirked; he remembered how nice it had been to have Ernesto at home all the time and how many bad dinners and carefully planned romantic evenings after the kids were asleep there had been. He wondered how soon he could convince Ernesto to embezzle a few million dollars from Boxmore and retire early.

“Heck no, never again.” Ernesto said, he adjusted the sheet in his arm and suddenly lunged down, he wrapped an arm around Neil’s waist and stood back up dragging a surprised Neil to his level, he pressed another kiss into Neil’s temple and laughed a bit, a mellow and smooth chuckle that rarely came out around others.

“Oh put me down you big hunk.” Neil laughed. He managed to twist himself a bit, dropping his knife onto the counter and wrapping his arms around Ernesto’s neck.

“Well then don’t hang on.” Ernesto looked up at Neil, his sharp teeth bared in a wide smile. Neil cupped Ernesto’s face in his hands and kissed him gently.

“You got me, scoundrel, now release me before I call in backup.” Neil called.

“Oh, alright, but you’re going to be tied up and mine tonight.” Ernesto said softly, kissing Neil as he bent down to put the man down. The two broke there kiss as Ernesto stood back up. Neil grabbed Ernesto’s lab jacket, adjusting it a bit before wrapping his arms around Ernesto. He buried his face in Ernesto’s shirt.

“You were metal working today.” Neil murmured. “What was the project?”

“Ah ah ah, that’s the surprise.” Ernesto chuckled. Neil let go of Ernesto and took a step back, putting his hands on his hips.

“What’s under the sheet?” Neil huffed. “If it’s another AI vacuum-”

“No... I said I was done with those after I last time.” Ernesto said quietly and nervously.

“You didn’t mean to suck up my mom’s first cape.” Neil put a hand on Ernesto’s arm.

“I didn’t mean to-”

“I know.” Neil picked up the edge of the sheet. “What’s under here then.”

Ernesto pulled the object back. “Be patient!” Ernesto knelt down, he put the object down and adjusted the sheet. “Well you know how we've been talking about our family.”

“Yeah…?” Neil looked down at the sheet.

“Well I was figuring if we were going to take any more steps towards a bigger family-”

“That better not be a robot kid, Ernesto Stray Boxman-Dazzle, I will strangle you and you’ll be buried with your father.” Neil hissed.

“Oh no, of course not I’m a Boxman, not an idiot. Why would I just build a bunch of robot kids to put more responsibility on myself randomly because I’m feeling neglected by my family changing.” Ernesto said.

“Well what is it?” Neil asked.

Ernesto stood and pulled the sheet off dramatically. “Behold my newest creation-”

“You STOLE your brother’s dog!?” Neil yelled.

“Shhh, shhh.” Ernesto called, folding the sheet over his arm. “I found dad’s old blueprints for Double Beat and decided to try and recreate her. I made some modifications to the blueprint to make her smoother and less power consumptive.”

“Ernesto we talked about getting a dog, we said it wouldn’t work with our family.” 

“Ah ah, but this is a dog without the bad sides.” Ernesto knelt next to the Double Beat clone. “She has no need for walks, messes, or a need to chew anything but toys! She won’t bark at 3 am! She doesn't need baths! She will never get fleas! And best of all we can leave for a month and she’d not need any board or dog sitter!”

“Ernie we can’t-”

“And she’s all charged!” Ernesto patted the dog’s head, and suddenly the dog’s eyes cracked open. “I figured it’d be a great time for the kids to get a dog. With today being the last day of school. Responsibility building over summer and all that.”

Neil started at Ernesto, who was picking some lint and metal shavings off the robot dog, whose eyes were darting around wildly. 

“Is she okay.” Neil leaned down in front of the dog. “She seems paranoid.” 

“She just needs to adjust to the house.” Ernesto said.

Neil gave a worried look to the dog, not remembering Double Beat ever having been nervous in the teen years he’d know the dog. He reached a hand out to the dog.

“Well, I guess hi little girl-”

The dog suddenly snarrelled and jumped quickly as a flash, snapping Neil’s robotic hand between it’s jaws.

Neil stretched. “GET IT AWAY!” 

“Why isn’t she mellow!” Ernesto went to pick up the dog, who bolted away at top speed. 

“Wait don’t let it further in the house!” Neil screamed, he dashed to the other kitchen door, blocking the door, the dog glanced at Neil before jumping through the door to outside, snarling and barking. “What the fuck ERNESTO!?”

“I got it! I got it!” Ernesto rubbed his hands together a second, glowing a bit in response. “I can stop her! Her code must have corrupted!”

Neil slammed open his busted door, looking at the dog on his porch, going after his grill.

“HEY!” Neil stretched, he dove after the dog, which sprinted down the stairs and into the yard.

“Stop her, stop her!” Ernesto started running down the stairs, tripping at the bottom and face planting inches from getting the dog. Neil jumped over the back porch and went after the dog running for the back fence. “NEIL STOP!” Ernesto screamed.

Neil skidded to a stop in the air and looked back at Ernesto, before getting the smell of smoke. He looked down and saw his hand sparking and his shirt and apron smoldering. He screamed.

“Get it off get it off!” Neil tried to pat himself out, dropping to the ground suddenly. Ernesto dashed to Neil, trying to get the small fire out. Suddenly there was a blast of air behind the two, who looked over at where the dog was now pinned down by Combo. Tegan followed shortly after with Gaston in their arms.

“Get it off!” Combo yelled, holding the fighting dog in his arms.

“I don’t see an off button!” Gaston said scrambling over, wearily looking for a switch off on the snarling and snapping robot.

Teagan jumped forwards and wrapped there arms around the dog as well in an attempt to restrain them.

“Come on the dog wasn’t squirming that hard.” Teagan yelled as the dog suddenly grew calmer, her eyes starting to glitch and a hissing noise erupting from it’s internals.

Suddenly there was a quiet and familiar yipping.

The dog started licking Teagan’s face and happily wigging and yapping.

“Aww she’s all better!” Combo yelled, letting go, the dog pounced Teagan, happy and calm.

Neil and Ernesto stared at the situation, blank and confused, as the last of the smolders on Neil died out with his arm.

“Aw, she’s sweet.” Gaston nudged forwards and petted the dog.

“She needs a name!” Teagan stood, holding the dog above their head. 

“Name! Name!” “Name!”

The three kids ran for the house, chattering amongst themselves for ideas.

Ernesto and Neil watched the three kids and their new dog run off. Neil looked at Ernesto.

“D-did Double Beat do that too?” Neil asked.

Ernesto covered his mouth with one of his hands, his expression deep in thought.

“Daddy yelled about Double Beat, and to be careful ‘cause she was dangerous, I never knew her to be.” Ernesto looked after the door that shut. “She was running right for me, daddy was chasing her, but when she was in my arms she was so sweet,”

“Maybe she needed to set up?” Neil asked. “It’s common for programming not to start right away, right?” Neil looked at Ernesto, who was tapping a finger on his glasses in thought. “Right?”

“Daddy programmed her to be a guard dog. She has several physical chips that are hard wired to perform violent acts based on her dog programming. Basically hard wired ‘if;then’ commands. If there was somehow a power change she could theoretically damage those chips and be reprogrammed to not filter out the non threatening dog behaviors.”

“Oh so she was over excited and calmed down?”

Ernesto’s face started turning a muddy pale colour, a nervous buzz coating him as he tapped his glasses. “No she can handle her own charge.” Ernesto gulped dryly. “But her chips may not hold up to a concentration of unextended energy.”

“You didn’t touch the dog after she bolted.” Neil said.

“But-” Ernesto rubbed his face with one hand.

“But…” Neil looked at Ernesto. “But, Teagan did.”

Ernesto was silent.

Neil went to reach out to Ernesto, but his robotic arm was dead. He switched arms for his reach attempt and rubbed Ernesto’s shoulder gently. “Ernesto you didn’t do anything-”

Ernesto stepped forwards, snapping open his phone and dialing a number. He put the phone to his ear.

“Do you have a geiger counter…? Good, we’re coming over for dinner.” Ernesto hung up his phone. “We’re eating at my dads’.” Ernesto said, he looked back at Neil, his face a mix of emotions.

“I was making dinner.” Neil gestured his arm out.

“Daddy can fix your arm.” Ernesto said.

Neil picked his feet up and floated up to Ernesto, he kissed Ernesto’s forehead. “We’re going to be okay. We’ll work it out like we always have.” 

“T Teagan sounds stupid.” Ernesto sighed.

“No offense but Ternesto was also stupid.” Neil said, an awkward chuckle on his breath.

“Hey, we resent that.” Ernesto said, following Neil towards the house. “And you loved your little ‘Turn’ so don’t even-”

Neil laughed. “I’ll love any part of any of my family.” Neil stopped, and let Ernesto catch up. Neil kissed Ernesto. “Although I’m happy to just have one you now, I don’t have to worry about having to fill either of you in on our private life.” 

“Oh yeah, of course, not like he didn’t watch tv all day.” Ernesto huffed, starting up the stairs to the house. “HEY KIDS! GET READY TO GO TO GRANDPAS’.”

Ernesto and Neil made it onto the porch in time to see the kids running off from a just started monopoly game to get ready to leave with the new dog.

The two opened the kitchen door, Neil looked at the busted out door. “Looks like we’re going to have to source another cherry and lead glass door.”

“At least it’s not the walnut built ins’.” Ernesto chimed.

“Don’t jinx it.” Neil snapped. “Now help me put away dinner.”

**Author's Note:**

> The New dog/version of Double Beat is named Two Tone btw! I have a whole backstory about that name but it's not important lmao
> 
> Thank you for reading! Have a good Morning/day/night!


End file.
